Accepting my limitations

When I was young, anything seemed possible; any goal was reachable. But as life goes on, choices are made and I grow older and wiser. I have learned to accept my weaknesses and develop my strengths. Instead of resisting, I now make my life simpler by accepting what is and working with that! That has made the load much lighter, both physically and mentally. I can't do it all and now have no desire to try. And you know what? It's okay. Saturday I drove to Garden City with a girlfriend to our favorite wool shop. I should have spent the day at home doing the laundry and just catching up from our long trip. But I hadn't seen Mary for a few weeks so off we went. Great conversation, beautiful weather, lots of wool, ate Mexican food, shopped the Goodwill store. It was just a day well spent and the work was still there when I got home. Accept your limitations and lighten your loads. Take joy.

Special memories

The little things that are so easy to overlook yet so awe inspiring when we take the time to notice them. These are the simple things that give me the most joy. My dear friends and family, take joy and take peace.

10 days....gone too long

How do you know you have been away from home too long??? When you come home and a bird has built a nest and is sitting on eggs right at the front door!!

We laughed hard this morning. Got in about 10 p.m. last night and did NOT see the bird. LaVern was unloading this morning and saw her. He went in and out the door as well as both dogs and she just sits there. All this in 10 days time!

We traveled in 10 states in 7 days! Richmond, VA is a LONGGGGGGGG ways from Kansas! But I would go again in a heart beat! Everywhere we traveled we ran in to rain. It rained all night while camping in the Great Smokey Mountains, rained in Nashville and then rained at least two inches while we were at the farm in Iowa. What a difference after being in a 10 year drought. LaVern had to put a new pump in the washing machine this morning but he stopped by to tell me it was up and running. We definitely had clothes to wash. I am catching up on "work stuff". Will keep you posted on our new home visitor. See, Marianna.............we really do have a new found love of birds!!!

Taking joy and taking peace

Wednesday, AM Sharing good conversation and a cup of coffee on the deck with Marianna. She looks soooooo good, content and happy. I shall take joy and peace in knowing this was in God's great plan for her. Her HUGE bedroom is like private retreat including her own sitting area, writing area and more. The future has changes for us both but I know that with her kindred spirit she will embrace the new adventure. What fun for us both!! She has told me she will scope out all the new places and we shall visit them upon our return. In the mean time we will continue our conversations with email, blog and cell phones!! I will have pictures for you when we return. I forgot the card reader for my camera! Need to keep a list these days.
Today we are leaving and driving to Virginia Beach. Karla asked LaVern if we had a plan. Our only plan is to see the beach and the Smokey Mountains. We will get to Nashville and then on to Iowa for a couple days. We never have been the type of people who have "planned" vacations. We just get in and drive!! Well, on the road again. Will blog again when we are connected somewhere down the road. love to all

Richmond, Virginia

What a beautiful state!! Yes, for those of you that don't know.......we are in Richmond! We moved our dear neighbors, Karla and Marianna. Karla's daughter, Lisa and her wonderful hubby, Ricky and two grandsons have a beautiful new home.......6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms!. So Karla and Marianna are joining them. How awesome is that? I truly believe more families should be doing this. I know it isn't for all families but for those that can and it works, what a blessing for all. We are so happy for them. The home is perfect as everyone will have their own "spaces". I would LOVE for my parents to move in with us. Mom would in a heart beat but not sure about dad! Karla and Marianna flew out last Wednesday and LaVern drove the u-haul truck pulling a trailer with their van. Biggest truck they had and it is loaded! I drove our pickup pulling our 1946 teardrop trailer. Trip was good. Long but good. Virginia and W. VA are beautiful states. I would love to come back and visit. Trees and rolling hills and small mountains. I am sitting out on the back deck and the yard is a wooded area.
A moving crew should be here soon to unload the truck. We will spend the rest of the day and tomorrow LaVern and I are headed to Virginia Beach. Can't believe we are on the east coast!
When I mentioned our trip in the coffee shop before leaving one guy gave me a "look" and asked "why?". I just told him that is what friends/neighbors do for each other. And besides...I'd never been to Virginia!! Lovin life!!

Wages

During a conversation yesterday a friend mentioned that he was asked what the minimum wage was when he first started working. He laughed and said he didn't know if there was one then. Well, that got me to thinking, when did all that start? I had to search to find the answer but it was in 1938.......and the minimum wage was 25 cents!!! Fair Labor Standards Act. A couple amendments happened in 1961 and then again in 1966. When I first started working it was probably $1.60 an hour. Now we are at $7.25. Interesting that it was initiated after the depression. I wonder if it was called a stimulus back then?

Clearing

This is a picture taken of the road, looking south from our driveway on the farm. When we purchased the place this area was overgrown with volunteer trees, brush, wild grapevines and wild rose vines. It hung clear out over the road. So when you wanted to leave our drive, you were risking your life as you could not see to the south if anyone was coming. This past weekend LaVern and I spent two days cutting down trees and clearing the brush. It was a jungle!! We used the pickup and chained the trees and limbs and drug them out. The positive, you can see down the road now. The negative, we uncovered wire, blocks, broken glass, an old garage door, pieces and parts of machinery! Yikes!

I felt really good that we worked two full days from early morning until 5:00 or so. That is until Saturday when our Amish neighbors to the east came by. One young man, Benjamin, with the buggy and he was also pulling a small trailer with a stock tank on it. His father and 3 of Benj's brothers were on a hayrack with a big driving team. We talked with them for a bit. They were on their way to gather hedge balls. This was at noon. They came back by at 8:00 pm!! They had a load of hedge balls. I felt like maybe we should go out and work a couple more hours!

It was sure satisfying to see the results of our hard labor. And the hot shower with the water heated by the sun was wonderful! (Betsy, this picture is for you!! Thanks for your help at the beginning of this)

Key to happiness

I recently read something that I just had to pass along. "Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket! Keep it in your own." This all has to do with attitude! I know I could serve LaVern burnt biscuits for supper and apologize for it and he would tell me he loves burned biscuits. Life is full of imperfect things, people, events. Accepting those faults is one of the most important keys to a growing and lasting relationship. Take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end............He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where burnt biscuits aren't a deal breaker! Blessings and peace.